As Summer butterflys by

As I've been sitting looking out at the "back yard" I've been able to watch a bluebird, gold finches, what I think are chipping sparrows and tree swallows, dragonflies, hoary alyssum, hoary puccoon, purple vetch and a variety of trees, all gently stirred by a Summer breeze. We've made progress in turning a compost heap into a compost bin (photos when we've finished). SiSi got to enjoy some time in the run while we were working on the base layer of "brown" in the compost bin. All in all, we're enjoying a typical, quiet, Minnesota Summer weekend.

butterflyweed

Photo by J. Harrington

Yesterday, returning from a July 4th brunch, we noticed that butterflyweed is in bloom and that the milkweed at the north end of our road is starting to bloom much more than that growing along the ditch near our place, about a mile south. Both sides of the road face east and are about equally shaded. I have no idea what's going on or if it matters. I do know that we've seen few butterflies and no fireflies so far this Summer. Could our wettest June ever, which no doubt helps explain the abundance of color in the back yard, also explain the lack of butterflies and fireflies? Are they gone, or just delayed? Stay tuned for updates, but first read Avis Harley on why butterflies are important.

Before

By Avis Harley 

The butterfly was there

before any human art was made.

Before cathedrals rose in prayer,

the butterfly was there.

Before pyramids pierced the air

or Great Wall stones were laid,

the butterfly was there.

Before any human, art was made.